Rockingham County Public Schools
In the Heart of the Beautiful Shenandoah Valley of Virginia
AppleWorks Conversion
AppleWorks has been used in RCPS for many, many years. However, the product is no longer being supported by Apple and it doesn't work well on newer computers. Therefore, if you're an AppleWorks user, we'd like for you to begin migrating your AppleWorks word processing files to Word and your AppleWorks spreadsheet files to Excel.
AppleWorks files must be converted on a Mac before opening them in Microsoft Office on a Windows PC. There are alternative options listed below in our Links and How-To Resources but we specifically include conversion options for Office because we install Office on all RCPS computers and it is readily available for you. We have also provided instructions for converting any AppleWorks file into a jpg graphic in Photoshop Elements or a pdf file on a Mac. You can also copy and paste AppleWorks elements into a SmartBoard Notebook file.
Appleworks Word Processing | Spreadsheet | Database | Drawing | Painting | Presentation | JPG Graphic | PDF File | Links | How-To Resources
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Option 1) Open an AppleWorks word processing file. Then select to Save As. Choose Word Mac 98, 2001 document as shown to the left. Be sure to name your file using the suffix .doc such as Sample.doc You should then be able to open this document using Word. Option 2) Open an AppleWorks document, press ?-A to select all, then select Copy under Edit. Then open a blank Word document and select Paste under Edit. Save your Word file using the suffix .doc such as Sample.doc |
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Option 1) Open an AppleWorks spreadsheet file. Then select to Save As. Choose Excel Mac 98, 2001 spreadsheet as shown below. Be sure to name your file using the suffix .xls such as Grades.xls You should then be able to open this document using Excel. Your spreadshet formulas should convert OK. Option 2) Open an AppleWorks spreadsheet document, press ?-A to select all, then select Copy under Edit. Then open a blank Excel document and select Paste under Edit. Save your Excel file using the suffix .xls such as Grades.xls |
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There is only one option for converting a database into Microsoft Office. You lose the flexibility of a database but convert the database list into an Excel spreadsheet. To convert your database file to a spreadsheet, open an AppleWorks database document, view data in "list view," press ?-A to select all, then select Copy under Edit. Then open a blank Excel document and select Paste under Edit. Save your Excel file using the suffix .xls such as Grades.xls |
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Open an AppleWorks drawing document, select text, copy and paste into a Word document. Select draw elements, copy and paste into the Word document wherever you want them. Draw elements will display as a black line with black handles on click and move with the spacebar. Double click on the image to display the Format Image window. Under the Layout tab, select Square. This will allow wordwrap and movement of the image using the mouse. Copy and paste remaining text and images in the same manner and then File > Save As in Word using the .doc extension. |
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Open an AppleWorks painting document, select painting elements, copy and paste into new Word document. Painting elements will display as a black line with black handles on click and move with the spacebar. Double click on the image to display the Format Image window. Under the Layout tab, select Square. This will allow wordwrap and movement of the image using the mouse. Then File > Save As in Word using the .doc extension. If you want to edit the painting file, you can convert it to an image using the directions below for converting clipboard selections to jpg images in Adobe PhotoShop Elements. |
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An AppleWorks presentation file cannot be easily converted into a PowerPoint but it can be done. Each slide will need to be copied and pasted using the method described above in converting a drawing document to Word.
If you have access to Apple Keynote, a presentation file can be opened with Keynote and then exported into PowerPoint. Presentation files can also be converted to a non-editable file as explained below in converting AppleWorks files to PDF files. |
AppleWorks clipboard selections to jpg images in Adobe PhotoShop Elements |
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On a Mac, open the file that you would like to convert to an image file. Command-control-shift-4 displays a crosshair allowing a selection of an area onto the clipboard (command-control-shift-3 selects the entire screen to the clipboard). Once the selection is made, it is temporarily saved in the clipboard to be pasted in an application. Open Adobe Photoshop Elements. In the menu bar, click File > New > Image from Clipboard. The image in the clipboard will open in a new window. Edit and then Save As with JPEG selected in the Format dropdown menu. |
AppleWorks file conversion to non-editable PDF file |
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Open any AppleWorks file into AppleWorks. Click File > Print > select PDF. In the dropdown menu, choose Save as PDF using the .pdf file extension. |
Links
- OpenOffice is free open source software comparable to Microsoft Office with word processing, spreadsheet, presentation, draw, and database applications for both Windows and Mac. You can install it on a home computer for reading and editing Microsoft Office files you use at school.
- NeoOffice is an OpenOffice alternative with additional options specifically for AppleWorks conversion. You can install it on a home computer for reading and editing Microsoft Office files you use at school.
- MaxFixIt - AppleWorks support in Mac Snow Leopard (cnet review).
- icWord is an application that opens files in many formats (read only). It is not free but is inexpensive to buy and install on a home computer.
- iWork offers conversion options for AppleWorks files if you have a personal Mac computer with iWork.
- Instructions for conversion to iWork are also found in eHow.
- Forum discussion of batch conversion for experienced scripters (you can find similar discussions in other forums if you google it).
- Batch conversion solution by T&B (requires registration and there is no guarantee).